Okumura Toshinobu

Japanese, active c. 1717–1740s

BiographyToshinobu sometimes used the art name Kakugetsudö and Bunzen; there are no biographical details from early sources. For many years he was regarded as the son of Masanobu, but recent dating of his prints renders this identification unlikely. Richard Lane lists the master as a pupil or adopted son of Masanobu (Lane, Images of the Floating World, 1878).

Most of his work in "urushi-e" show his preference for strong color and powerful movement which is almost musical in feeling. In maintaining a high standard of quality, his art surpasses Masanjobu’s art, which sometimes falls short of the perfection of his best work. The Michener Collection is unusually rich in "urushi-e" by Toshinobu. The prints reveal a remarkable consistency of quality, whether the subject be an exquisite female study or an actor portrait full of lyricism and motion.

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Research by: Howard A. Link.

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